FC Concierge
About Us

Leading consulting institute for research, analysis,Evaluation and rating of franchise business.

Franchise Research & Strategy Institute Inc.

Brief history of Akihiko Uchikawa
President and CEO of Franchise Research & Strategy Institute
Professor in business administration of Okayama University of Science◼ Various experience in “real world” of franchise business⚫ Joined the Seibu Department Stores Co., Ltd. Temporally transferred to Dunkin’ Doughnuts Japan,
held post of Store Manager at the first outlet in Japan, Supervisor and Area Manager.
⚫ Joined Lawson Inc. which is currently the 2nd largest CVS chain in Japan, held post of General
Manager of Commodity Division, General Planning Division, Operating Division, DevelopmentDivision, PR & Sales Promotion Division. Chief Administrator of CI.

◼ Consulting business for over 30 years⚫ Engaged in consulting for over 30 years in total. Undertook consulting from over 400 corporations.

◼ Consultation with the 7-Eleven Taiwan for 8 years⚫ Improved the infrastructure of Franchise HQ and built up the foundation for rapid expansion of thechain, starting from 500 outlets. It became 3,000 during the contract period.

◼ Executive officer of the Japan Franchise Association⚫ Held post of the serice manager assisting the association members for 10 years and of the Counselor atthe Franchise Counselling Center for 17 years. (In service)◼ Certified instructor of METI’s Trade and Investment Promotion Business and amember of the policy dialogue⚫ Delivering lecture for managerial officials of national and local governments in 46 countries
world-wide. He covers wide variety of lecture topics, including business structure, strategy,
methological decision makings for franchise business management.

◼ The sole Japanese partner of international research firms⚫ Gerson Lehman Group (New York)⚫ Third Bridge (London)⚫ Guide Point Global (New York)1

Why we are different:
1. Leading expert of the Franchise Industries, with hands-on experiences for over 50 years.
Provided consulting service for more than over 400 corporations in total.
That includes over 150 startups of franchisors with wide variety:
Food services, retails, service industries, dealers & distributors, etc.
2. Counselor in charge of “the Franchise Counselling Center” in the Japan Franchise Association.
“The Franchise Counselling Center” provides consultation without charge to both franchisors andfranchisees. We have been in charge of this service for over 25 years as an associate company of
the Japan Franchise Association. There have been 8,000 consult cases in total. About 60% of
these cases were “conflicts” between franchisor and franchisee. Based on this numerous
empirical knowledge, we provide consulting services to franchisors which maximize the strengthof business and company, eliminate business risks, and provide solutions to your business issues.

3. Expert of legal affairs of franchising.
A formulator drafting the revision of Small and Medium-sized Retail Business Promotion Act of2002. Not only to ensure the compliance, but we support to make Franchise Agreement thatminimize your risk of litigation and build firm relationship of trust with franchisees.

4. Extensive consulting experiences in overseas markets and strong networks established.
The number of business trips to the USA, home of the Franchise, reached more than 50. Alsoestablished strong human networks in emerging countries in Asia/South America/East Europe
and are continuously promoting Franchise business relationships.
5. Leading firm of “internally-based franchise system” strategy.
While served in Lawson Inc., Akihiko Uchikawa worked out and launched the industry first“internally-based franchise system” in CVS industry. As a consulting firm, we have achieved
over 50 startups of this internal franchise system.

6. Comprehensive consultation service to franchisors.
If you want to succeed franchising for long term, you need to lead the franchisees to succeed forthe first place. Based on experiences of various field experiences of franchise businesses, weprovide consultation to a variety of domains, such as new business development to optimize theperformance of stores, building the franchise headquarter departments, evaluating yourcandidates of site locations, support of infrastructure developments and so on.

21 Consultation for startup/restructuring of Franchise Headquarters
FRSI can provide a wide variety of consulting services in building up Franchise Business. FRSI
will assist you in designing a business category of a standard business model, organizing Franchise
Headquters and recruiting Franchisees.
1. Feasibility study to assess the potential of your business.
2. Support developing a business package and make a prototype shop.
3. Support designing and creating a franchise package for the headquarters.
4. Support designing and creating a franchise system.
5. Support formulating a business plan for the headquarters.
6. Support education and training of HQ staff.
7. Support creating a marketing plan for recruiting Franchisees.

2 Consultation for startup/restructuring of“Internally-based Franchise System Strategy”
In this system, franchisor finds franchise owners from existing employees. You can optimize theperformance of your direct-managed stores, prevent employees from leaving, or improve financial
standing and expand your company by this strategy.
1. Design entire process of the internally-based franchise system.
2. Create the new personnel system.
3. Create the new training and education system.
4. Criteria of selecting the target stores.
5. Simulate a profit and loss statement of the store.
6. Formulate criteria and qualification to select owner candidates from employees.
ndependence system.
7. Formulate a business plan for the franchise headquarter.
8. Formulate procedures for the launch.

33 Education and training, and other services
As a leading consulting firm of franchise business, we provide various services as a solution toissues and challenging problems that franchisors and startups will face.
1. Commercial real estate services, including but not limited to:・Site development selections,・Franchise market research,・Business development supports and simulations
2. Organization and fully comprehensive support to:・Foreign companies to entry Japan, and localize your business,
・Japanese companies to expand to foreign markets.
3. Provide customized education and training to:・Franchise owners
・Executives of your company
・Supervisors and other employees of franchise headquarter・Employee who wishes to trasit to franchise owner
4. Supports to develop infrastructures and systems of headquarter:
・Logistics system
・Merchandising system
・Supervising system
・Accounting system
・Management information system
・Personnel system
5. Financial consultation, and any other solutions to your business issues.

4Corporate Profile of Franchise Research & Strategy Institute, Inc.

Location: 7F Mihama Bldg., 1-2 Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku,
Tokyo 160-0004, Japan
Phone:

03-3561-7122 (Main phone number)

Fax:

03-5361-7124

E-mail info@the-franchise.co.jp
CEO & President: Akihiko Uchikawa
Corporate:

November, 1997 Founded

Books written by Akihiko Uchikawa
Comprehensive guide to successfully franchise as franchisor, orGuide for site developments and practices of merchandizing, forto succeed as franchisee. To franchise your business successfully,

convenience store companies.

you need to make franchisees succeed.

Use it as a textbook for newcomers.

Publisher: Nikkei Inc.

Publisher: Business-sha Co., Ltd. 4th Edition.

Reality of Franchise Business 7th Edition

Marketing Strategy of CVS, Single store and Local
chain 4th Edition

Our website:
https://the-franchise.co.jp

5